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Satellite-observed monthly variability of sea surface chlorophyll-a concentration: A case study in East Malaysia
No full textMonsoon variability plays a pivotal role in Malaysia's economy, yet research has overlooked its impact on chlorophyll-a distribution in the South China Sea. Our study addresses this gap, focusing on the monsoon's influence on chlorophyll-a levels in Malaysian waters, enhancing the understanding of regional marine ecosystems and their economic significance. The objective of this research is to examine the Northeast Monsoon (NEM) and Southwest Monsoon (SWM) influence on the variability of chlorophyll-a concentration distribution and its relation to the total number of fish landings in East Malaysia in the year 2019. To achieve this goal, MODIS data was utilized. Literature reviews have indicated that remote sensing wavelength reflectances at 443 and 555 nanometers were also employed to assess phytoplankton biomass and suspended sediment concentrations. An increase in the phytoplankton absorption coefficient at 443 nanometers, coupled with a higher backscattering constant for dissolved and detrital material, correlates with elevated phytoplankton biomass and suspended sediment concentrations. The investigation revealed significant variability in chlorophyll-a concentrations across monsoon seasons, with values peaking at 36.5 mg mˉ³ during the SWM, which contrasts markedly with the NEM. This influence of suspended sediment and organic matter may introduce bias to chlorophyll-a concentration measurement. Accordingly, an increase in the phytoplankton absorption constant at 443 nanometers, coupled with a higher backscattering coefficient for dissolved and detrital material, correlates with elevated phytoplankton biomass and suspended sediment concentrations. The investigation revealed significant variability in chlorophyll-a concentrations across monsoon seasons, with values peaking at 36.5 mg mˉ³ during the SWM, which contrasts markedly with the NEM. This variability underscores the profound impact of monsoon dynamics on chlorophyll-a distribution in East Malaysia, influencing both marine biomass and fishery yields. These findings suggest that different monsoon seasons lead to varying total fish landings in East Malaysia. Established on the observed differences in chlorophyll-a dispersion, remote sensing technology explains higher fish catches during the SWM than the NEM. This information is vital for fishers, as it aids in optimizing their operation and reducing overall costs
In planta efficacy of local Trichoderma isolates and selected commercial biological agents against Ganoderma boninense in oil palm
No full textTrichoderma species are well-known biological control agents with significant antagonistic activity against various fungal phytopathogens. This study evaluated the in planta efficacy of local Trichoderma isolates (Trichoderma virens and Trichoderma asperellum) in comparison to commercial biological control agent (BCA) products in controlling Ganoderma disease in oil palm seedlings. The local Trichoderma isolates were applied either singly or as a mixture to the soils of both transplanted and Ganoderma-inoculated oil palm seedlings. Additionally, two commercial BCA products were tested as benchmarks, with a negative and a positive control. It was found that the local Trichoderma isolate, either applied singly or as a mixture, could reduce disease by 41.82%-57.73%, and be on par with the commercial BCA products. Untreated positive control showed a significant loss in physiological integrity, in terms of chlorophyll content, plant height, bole diameter, and the number of fronds, due to the G. boninense infection, meanwhile, the treated seedlings with local Trichoderma isolates and commercial BCAs were able to resist the infection significantly to a certain degree. These isolates are promising BCAs for the future management of G. boninense in oil palm
Integrasi Usul Fiqh dalam pemberian rukhsah solat kepada pesakit di Hospital Mesra Muslim: Tinjauan berdasarkan perspektif Mazhab Shafi’i
No full textKajian ini bertujuan untuk meneliti integrasi prinsip Usul Fiqh dalam pemberian rukhsah solat kepada pesakit di hospital mesra Muslim berdasarkan perspektif Mazhab Shafi‘i. Dalam persekitaran rawatan moden, pesakit sering mengalami keterbatasan dalam melaksanakan solat secara sempurna akibat kekangan fizikal dan keadaan kesihatan. Islam, melalui konsep rukhsah, menyediakan kelonggaran tertentu dalam pelaksanaan ibadah, termasuk solat, bagi golongan ini. Kajian ini memberi tumpuan kepada bagaimana prinsip-prinsip Usul Fiqh seperti al-masyaqqah tajlib al-taysir (kesukaran membawa kemudahan), darurat, dan istihsan diaplikasikan dalam menjustifikasikan keringanan hukum dalam konteks hospital. Objektif utama kajian ini ialah mengenal pasti kaedah penetapan rukhsah solat menurut Mazhab Shafi‘i, menganalisis amalan di hospital mesra Muslim, serta menilai tahap kefahaman dan pelaksanaan rukhsah dalam kalangan pesakit. Diharap penulisan ini dapat memberikan panduan yang sahih dan praktikal kepada pengamal kesihatan serta pesakit dalam menjaga kewajipan solat walaupun dalam situasi mencabar, di samping memperkukuh kesedaran terhadap kepentingan ibadah dalam rawatan holistik berteraskan syariah
Transformasi Islam di Sabah pasca-kemerdekaan: Sejarah, strategi dakwah, dan perubahan demografi
No full textArtikel ini membincangkan proses transformasi Islam di Sabah selepas penyertaannya dalam Persekutuan Malaysia pada tahun 1963 sehingga pengisytiharan Islam sebagai Agama Negeri. Fokus utama kajian ialah menelusuri sejarah perkembangan Islam, menilai strategi dakwah yang digunakan oleh institusi-institusi seperti Pertubuhan Islam Seluruh Sabah (USIA), dan menganalisis perubahan demografi umat Islam berdasarkan data rasmi. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa Islam pada peringkat awal pasca-kemerdekaan menghadapi pelbagai cabaran, termasuk dominasi pentadbiran bukan Islam dan ketiadaan struktur organisasi dakwah yang kukuh. Walau bagaimanapun, kemunculan Tun Datu Mustapha sebagai tokoh politik dan pendakwah, serta penubuhan USIA pada tahun 1969, menjadi pemangkin kepada dakwah berstruktur dan terancang di Sabah. Melalui pendekatan bersepadu yang menggabungkan pendidikan, kebajikan, dan pemerkasaan institusi, Islam berjaya diterima secara meluas dalam kalangan masyarakat peribumi. Statistik menunjukkan peningkatan ketara bilangan penganut Islam, daripada 38% pada tahun 1960 kepada 65% menjelang tahun 2010, dengan pertambahan lebih 29,000 mualaf antara tahun 2010 hingga 2023. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif melalui analisis kandungan dokumen sejarah, bancian penduduk, dan laporan institusi agama. Hasilnya menunjukkan bahawa keberhasilan dakwah di Sabah dipengaruhi oleh keupayaan menyesuaikan Islam dengan budaya setempat dan strategi penyampaian yang inklusif. Penemuan ini memberi sumbangan penting kepada kajian dakwah di wilayah berbilang etnik dan agama serta menawarkan kerangka rujukan kepada perancangan pembangunan Islam yang lestari di masa hadapan.
This article examines the transformation of Islam in Sabah following its incorporation into the Federation of Malaysia in 1963 until 2024. The study focuses on tracing the historical development of Islam, evaluating the daʿwah strategies implemented by institutions such as the United Sabah Islamic Association (USIA), and analysing demographic changes based on official data. The research finds that in the early post-independence period, Islam faced numerous challenges, including the dominance of non-Muslim administrative leadership and the absence of a structured daʿwah organisation. However, the emergence of Tun Datu Mustapha as a prominent Muslim political figure and preacher, along with the establishment of USIA in 1969, marked a turning point for systematic and organised daʿwah in the state. Through integrated approaches combining education, welfare, and institutional empowerment, Islam gained widespread acceptance among indigenous communities. Statistics indicate a significant increase in the Muslim population, from 38% in 1960 to 65% by 2010, with more than 29,000 converts recorded between 2010 and 2023. This study employs a qualitative methodology based on content analysis of historical documents, census data, and institutional reports. The findings demonstrate that the success of Islamic propagation in Sabah was strongly influenced by its cultural adaptability and inclusive outreach strategies. This research contributes significantly to the field of Islamic propagation in multicultural societies and offers a strategic framework for sustainable Islamic development in the future
Unlocking voices: The impact of Canva digital storytelling on primary ESL learners’ speaking achievement
No full textIn today's global workforce, effective speaking skills are essential for communication and professional success, making it critical to foster oral proficiency from an early age. The rapid advancement of technology has paved the way for Digital Storytelling (DST) as an innovative method to develop speaking skills by integrating multimedia that support the development of speaking competence. This study investigates the impact of Canva Digital Storytelling (DST) on enhancing speaking achievement among Malaysian primary ESL learners. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving 60 Year 5 pupils from suburban schools, divided into an experimental group using Canva DST and a control group following traditional instruction. Data collected via pre- and post-tests were analysed using paired t-tests. The findings indicated significant improvements in the experimental group. While promising, the study recommends further exploration using longitudinal and mixed method approaches as well as on different socio-cultural backgrounds to deepen the pedagogical understanding and scalability of DST
Pengetahuan lokal dalam budaya dan adat resam pelbagai etnik di Sabah
No full textSabah merupakan sebuah negeri yang mempunyai keunikan tersendiri kerana penduduknya terdiri daripada pelbagai etnik, budaya, agama dan bahasa. Terdapat pelbagai pandangan mengenai asal usul penduduk di negeri Sabah. Berdasarkan kajian arkeologi yang telah dilakukan di Gua Madai, Gua Baturong (Lahad Datu), Bukit Tengkorak (Semporna), Gua Tapadong (Segama) dan Lembah Tingkayu (Kunak) membuktikan bahawa sejarah pendudukan manusia yang awal di Sabah hanya dapat dijejak sehingga 28,000 tahun dahulu. Sabah merupakan negeri yang menjadi kediaman bagi pelbagai etnik. Penduduk Sabah terdiri daripada lebih kurang 41 kumpulan etnik dan subkumpulan etnik yang menggunakan lebih kurang 50 bahasa dan menuturkannya dalam tidak kurang 80 dialek. Kepelbagaian etnik turut menjadikan Sabah kaya dengan pelbagai budaya dan amalan adat resam penduduknya. Walaupun perbezaan budaya dan adat resam bukan satu halangan terhadap keharmonian masyarakat tetapi keadaan ini sudah tentu mempunyai implikasi terhadap pengetahuan pelbagai etnik di Sabah. Dengan kata lain kepelbagaian budaya dan adat resam mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pengetahuan lokal pelbagai etnik di Sabah. Pengetahuan lokal ini memberikan manfaat terhadap kelestarian pembangunan manusia di negari Sabah. Namun begitu, perbincangan dalam kajian ini hanya akan difokuskan terhadap sejauh manakah budaya dan adat resam memberikan implikasi terhadap pengetahuan lokal pelbagai etnik di Sabah. Kajian akan dilaksanakan menggunakan kaedah pendekatan analisis kualitatif dan menggunakan kajian arkib, kajian perpustakaan dan temu bual. Selain itu, kaedah pendekatan kuantitatif juga digunakan melalui soal selidik untuk memperoleh sumber maklumat kajian. Kajian ini akan menghasilkan satu analisis yang dapat digunakan sebagai rujukan untuk menambah baik polisi khususnya dalam perkara yang memberikan manfaat terhadap pemuliharaan pengetahuan lokal supaya terus diwarisi dan diamalkan oleh generasi muda di Sabah
A standardized protocol for the detection of arboviruses in different Aedes mosquito species in North Borneo Sabah, Malaysia
No full textArboviruses, including dengue, Zika and chikungunya viruses, are mainly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and pose a threat to public health. The viruses are transmitted by the primary vector, Aedes aegypti, which is more commonly found in urban environments. However, with increasing urbanization, the overlap of rural and forested areas where different Aedes species are found could also contribute to transmission. Nevertheless, most extraction methods focus on human blood samples or on Ae. aegypti, which limits standardization of virus detection in a variety of less common Aedes populations, especially sylvatic species. In this study, we demonstrated a standardized protocol for extracting sufficient amounts of RNA for detection from a single mosquito sample. We validated the protocol by extracting arboviruses from six different Aedes species collected in the field in Sabah, Malaysia: Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. poecilus, Ae. butleri, Ae. niveus, and Ae. vexans. Multiplex real-time PCR detection yielded consistent cycle threshold (Ct) values across species (range: 18.9–40.3), with a positivity cut-off of Ct < 41. Our results show that this protocol improves current practice by extending the target sample to different Aedes mosquito species, ultimately contributing to more efficient virus detection and supporting more comprehensive surveillance, even in ecologically diverse environments
How the internal motivation affects the faculty professional development? - analysis based on the SEM
No full textBased on the perspective of self-determination theory, this study explores the influence mechanism of internal motivation on the faculty professional development, focusing on the three dimensions of identity motivation, social motivation and innovation motivation. Through the establishment of structural equation model (SEM), the empirical analysis of the questionnaire survey of 507 teachers in Guangxi Province, China, found that internal motivation plays an important role in promoting the professional development of teachers. By testing the structural equation model, the standardized path coefficient of identity motivation (IDM) was 0.426, social motivation (SOM) was 0.207, and the path coefficient of innovation motivation (INN) was 0.471, and each path reached high statistical significance (p <0.001). These data not only validate the hypotheses proposed in this study, but also provide strong empirical support for exploring the internal faculty motivation and their impact on professional growt
The ability of cocoa clonal seeds for alternative rootstock in seedlings production
No full textCurrently, there is a shortage of cocoa clonal seedlings utilizing rootstock from the cocoa seed clone UIT1 × NA33 in the cocoa industry. Alternative clonal seedlings having comparable or superior growth and root characteristics are needed. This study aimed to evaluate and screen the growth and root performance of selected commercial cocoa seed clones as alternatives to UIT1 × NA33. The experiment used 45 rhizotrons (15 selected clones including UIT1 × NA33 as a control, with three replicates each) to grow roots to a one-meter depth under a completely randomized design (CRD). Height increment, root intensity (RI), and root depth (RD) were measured throughout the study. Sixteen weeks after transplanting (WAT), all tubes were harvested for dried shoot biomass (DSB), dried root biomass (DRB), root length density (RLD), and specific root length (SRL) measurement. Results showed no significant difference (P>0.05) among the seed clones based on one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD test. In conclusion, the clones KKM 1, PBC 123, QH 22, and MCBC 1 exhibited good root performance and growth, indicating their potentials as alternative rootstock for UIT1 × NA33
In silico analysis and structure modelling of gahp2, a conserved hypothetical protein related to thermal stress response in Glaciozyma antarctica PI12
No full textThe genomic data of the native Antarctic yeast, Glaciozyma antarctica PI12, has garnered attention due to its distinctive thermal adaptation. Nonetheless, a significant percentage of the proteins associated with thermal stress adaptation were identified as conserved hypothetical proteins (HPs), suggesting that these proteins remain experimentally uncharacterized. Consequently, this study aims to determine the structural characteristics of GaHP2, an uncharacterized conserved hypothetical protein believed to play a significant role in the thermal stress response. The gene was subjected to an extensive analysis utilizing computational tools to explore its function, physicochemical properties, and three-dimensional structure. Functional annotation was executed using NCBI BLAST and InterPro Scan; physicochemical properties were evaluated with ExPASy's ProtParam; homology modeling was performed using Phyre2 and AlphaFold2, while structure validation, refinement, and superimposition were implemented with MoD Refiner and UCSF Chimera. The results indicated that the homology modeling approach effectively generated reliable 3D models of GaHP2. The high confidence score (PROCHECK), stereochemical quality (VERIFY3D), energy of the protein chain (ANOLEA), and RMSD of 0.540 Å indicate that the proposed model closely reflects the actual protein conformation. One interesting finding of the study was the correlation between the presence of aromatic clusters in GaHP2 and its stability at higher temperatures, a finding not previously documented in cold-adapted Antarctic proteins. The GaHP2 protein was also found to contain domains that encoded oxygen-binding and/or oxygen- transporting goblins, as indicated by functional analysis, suggesting a role in cold adaptation under low oxygen conditions. This research illustrates that thermal stress proteins may possess distinctive structural flexibility and stability that enable them to function under thermal stress, thereby safeguarding host organisms from heat aggregation and cold denaturation